Islanders vs Lightning Game Five: Odds, Lineups, TV and more

The New York Islanders will look to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive tonight at 8 p.m against the Lightning. Here’s everything to know about the matchup.

For the first time this postseason the New York Islanders have their backs against the wall and tonight they will look start a comeback in the Eastern Conference Finals to keep their dreams alive.

The Islanders know that it will not be an easy task going against one of the best teams in the NHL, but they will definitely not give in or give up. The Isles can look at tonight to be the start of a historic series comeback.

Game 4 was something of an anomaly for the detail-oriented Islanders. After going up 1-0 on a wonderful Brock Nelson effort, the Isles fell asleep in the next two minutes and the Lightning put up two goals.

To have a chance tonight and in the series, the Isles must play a focused 60 minutes.

Tale of the Tape

Betting Odds

The Islanders come into today as the underdogs, courtesy of the Action network.

The Lightning are the home team and are up 3-1 in the series. It would be weird if they weren’t the favorite tonight. To be -175 tonight has to do with the fact that the home team is 3-1 in this series. The only “home” team to lose was the Islanders in Game 4.

But with their backs on the ropes, the Isles will put up a good performance today. I expect a close one today with a 3-2 scoreline for the Isles.

Projected Lineups

Barry Trotz indicated that he and his coaching staff may bring changes to the lineup and to some of his lines, although he wanted to show trust in the players who got them there.

As we learned on Sunday, the Islanders will be without both Casey Cizikas and Tom Kuhnhackl for the remainder of the postseason. Jean-Gabriel Pageau has stepped in well between Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck, but one of the Islanders major issues is the so-called, third line, and finding what players work on that line.

Last game we watched the likes of Johnston-Brassard-Komarov on the third line, but they provided little impact on the game. Tonight we may see Andrew Ladd come in for Derick Brassard and Michael Dal Colle come in for Ross Johnston.

The Islanders are projected to lineup like this:

Lee-Barzal-Eberle
Beauvillier-Nelson-Bailey
Dal Colle-Komarov-Ladd
Martin-Pageau-Clutterbuck

Pelech-Pulock
Toews-Mayfield
Leddy-Greene

Varlamov (Greiss)

After leaving the third period in Game 4, Brayden Point may not be available for Game 5. The last time Point wasn’t in the lineup for Tampa the Isles won 5-3. But when Point is out on the ice he’s absolutely deadly. In three games played this series he has seven points.

If Point doesn’t suit up, the Lightning are projected to lineup like this:

Palat-Cirelli-Kucherov
Killorn-Gourde-Coleman
Goodrow-Paquette-Johnson
Maroon-Vergaeghe-Schenn

Hedman-Bogosian
McDonagh-Cernak
Sergachev-Shattenkirk
Schenn

Vasilevskiy (McElhinney)

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Where to Catch the Game

TV: NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS

Radio: 88.7FM 103.9FM 98.7FM

*All Stats Provided by the NHL*